Crutch underarm support

Abstract

The invention relates to improvements in walking crutches that have an underarm support mounted on one end of a longitudinally extending leg. The improvements include providing the underarm support with symmetrical side portions having symmetrical concave, curved, smooth surfaces, and an upper concave, curved, smooth surface to provide less discomfort when contacting the user's side, more comfortable support of the user's underarm and greater ease of use of the crutch by compression of the underarm support between the user's side, arm and underarm.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a walking crutch comprising an underarm support mounted on one end of a longitudinally extending leg, the improvement comprising the underarm support having symmetrical side portions with symmetrical concave, and smooth surfaces curved inwards with a radius of between 4 inches and 8 inches, and an upper concave, curved, smooth surface in the direction of the top of the underarm support, having a radius of between 5 inches and 8 inches, and a wider, bulbous end transitioning from the concave curved surfaces, to provide a shape which in turn provides less discomfort when contacting the user's side, more comfortable support of the user's underarm and greater ease of use of the crutch by compression of the underarm support between the user's side, arm and underarm, and to prevent lateral movement of the crutch. 
     
     
       2. The walking crutch of  claim 1 , further comprising rounded transition surfaces connecting the side surface portions to the upper surface portion. 
     
     
       3. The walking crutch of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally extending leg comprises a front leg and a rear leg connected to a lower leg extension, with the underarm support mounted on the ends of the front and rear legs opposite the lower leg extension. 
     
     
       4. The walking crutch of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally extending leg further comprises a hand grip mounted thereon. 
     
     
       5. The walking crutch of  claim 1 , wherein the underarm support is configured and dimensioned with the symmetrical concave curved smooth surfaces on the side portions and the upper concave curved smooth surface portion. 
     
     
       6. The walking crutch of  claim 1 , wherein the underarm support is a cover that is placed over a conventional underarm support that is straight and narrow, with the cover configured and dimensioned with the symmetrical concave curved smooth surface portions on the side portions and the upper concave curved smooth surface portion on the top and further with an open portion that receives the conventional underarm support. 
     
     
       7. A walking crutch comprising:
 a longitudinally extending front leg and rear leg connected to a lower leg extension; 
 a hand grip mounted between the front and rear legs; and 
 an underarm support mounted on the ends of the front and rear legs opposite the lower leg extension, the underarm support comprising symmetrical side portions having symmetrical concave, and smooth surfaces curved inwards with a radius of between 4 inches and 8 inches, and an upper concave, curved, smooth surface in the direction of the top of the underarm support, having a radius of between 5 inches and 8 inches, and a wider, bulbous end transitioning from the concave curved surfaces, to provide a shape which in turn provides less discomfort when contacting the user's side, more comfortable support of the user's underarm and greater ease of use of the crutch by compression of the underarm support between the user's side, arm and underarm, and to prevent lateral movement of the crutch; 
 wherein said hand grip has a front end connected directly to said front leg, and a rear end connected to said rear leg at a lateral offset from the longitudinal axis of the rear leg of a distance of between 1 inch and 2 inches. 
 
     
     
       8. The walking crutch of  claim 7 , wherein said hand grip rear end is connected to an outwardly extending mounting bracket attached to said rear leg. 
     
     
       9. The walking crutch of  claim 8 , wherein the connection of the hand grip rear end to the outwardly extending mounting bracket is laterally adjustable. 
     
     
       10. The walking crutch of  claim 9 , further comprising rounded transition surfaces connecting the side surface portions to the upper surface portion. 
     
     
       11. The walking crutch of  claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the underarm support is made of a material that has a low coefficient of friction. 
     
     
       12. The walking crutch of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the side concave curved surfaces of the underarm support includes a pair of vertical indentations spaced apart at a distance equal to the distance between the front and rear legs, configured to interlock with the front and rear legs of another crutch to stabilize and support the walking crutch while being rested against a wall. 
     
     
       13. The walking crutch of  claim 12 , wherein the vertical indentations are groove-like vertical indentations formed from a curve about the longitudinal axis of the indentation, with a radius of between ¼ inch and ½ inch. 
     
     
       14. The walking crutch of  claim 13 , further comprising a pair of protruding buttons extending outwardly from the side portions of the underarm supports, formed from a pliable material and approximately ½ inches in diameter, wherein said buttons contact and engage a wall surface to support and prevent the crutch from sliding when the crutch is placed against a wall.